The LA Clippers have opted to waive the young guard.
The LA Clippers have waived guard Jay Scrubb today, the team announced in a tweet from their PR account. It ends Scrubb’s two-year tenure with the Clippers.
Injuries ultimately derailed a large portion of Scrubb’s career with the Clippers. After the team drafted him with the 55th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Scrubb was out for almost the entire duration of his rookie season due to surgery to insert a screw in his right foot. Unfortunately for Scrubb, the injury woes did not end there.
In February, Scrubb underwent season-ending surgery for a turf toe issue that he had been dealing with. The surgical procedure repaired the planter plate in his right foot. Ultimately, in the span of two years, Scrubb had two surgeries on his right foot.
Still, there was some optimism regarding Scrubb due to his age. Only 21 years old, Scrubb possessed some amount of upside that could lead him to finding himself as a rotation player in the future. The Clippers did not see it that way.
In June, the Clippers opted not to extend a qualifying offer to Scrubb after the guard had reportedly made it known that he did not want to be on a two-way contract, thus making him a restricted free agent. However, the team added Scrubb, along with Xavier Moon and Moses Brown, to the training camp roster in July. That stint appears done now, though.
Scrubb was seen as a “mystery box” by some, but he still obviously has a lot to prove as far as his game goes. In Summer League, Scrubb averaged 14.8 points per game but only shot 39.3% from the field and had more turnovers (13) than assists (8). It was the lack of passing and unselfishness that stood out on film.
Oftentimes, the 21-year-old would drive into the teeth of the defense, drawing multiple defenders, and refuse to kick it out to an open teammate. The results were not ideal.
During his two years with the team, Scrubb appeared in 22 regular season games and averaged 3.8 points and 1.4 rebounds on 39% shooting.
As a result of this transaction, the Clippers opened up another training camp spot. The Clippers currently have 14 players under guaranteed contracts as well as Moussa Diabaté, the team’s second-round pick this year, on a two-way deal. With Brown and Moon also factored in, the Clippers are at 17 players on their training camp roster. They have three open spots.